This invention relates to a combination tool with a jaw mechanism and handles, and, more particularly, to such a tool wherein the jaw mechanism and the handles deploy by rotation in opposite directions about axles lying in the plane of the jaw mechanism.
Implements with multiple deployable tools have long been known and used in the home, in the workplace, and in sporting applications. A folding pocket knife having two blades is an example. The blades are carried inside a handle for storage, and are selectively deployed, one at a time, when required to perform specific functions.
Pocket-knife-like devices, such as those produced by Wenger and Victorinox and commonly called xe2x80x9cSwiss Armyxe2x80x9d knives, use this same principle extended to a plurality of tools carried within the body of the knife. Such implements typically incorporate a variety of types of blade-type tools, such as one or more sharpened blades, a screwdriver, an awl, a bottle opener, a magnifying glass, etc. The blade tools can also include mechanically functioning implements such as a pliers or scissors. The devices of this type are widely used and highly functional for many applications, but they have drawbacks. Generally, they are designed to be sufficiently small and light for carrying in a pocket and are therefore limited as to the strength and robustness of the tools. For example, the pliers or scissors found in Swiss Army knives are typically miniature in size and suited only for applications where large gripping forces are not required.
In recent years, devices known generically as xe2x80x9ccombination toolsxe2x80x9d have been developed and widely marketed. A combination tool typically is built around a jaw mechanism such as a full-size pliers head. The pliers head has handles fixed thereto. To make the combination tool compact yet capable of use in situations requiring the application of large forces, the handles are made deployable between a closed or nested position and an open or deployed position. When the handles are in the nested position, the combination tool is compact in size and can fit in a pocket or a pouch carried on a belt. When the handles are in the deployed position, they cooperate with the jaw mechanism to provide a full-size, full-strength pliers with which large forces can be applied.
A number of other types of blade tools are received in a folding manner within the handles themselves. As used herein in reference to tools received into the handles of the combination tool, or into the handle of a knife or comparable device, a xe2x80x9cblade toolxe2x80x9d refers to any relatively thin tool that is folded into one handle. Such blade tools are generally of the same types found in the Swiss Army knives, such as sharpened blades, screwdrivers, a bottle opener, a file, a small saw, an awl, etc. When a handle is in the deployed position, the blade tools folded into the handles are accessible and can be opened for use.
Combination tools of various designs are available from several manufacturers. The combination tools generally incorporate the features discussed above, and differ most noticeably in the mode of deployment of the pliers head. In the combination tool sold by Leatherman and described to some extent in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,238,862 and 4,744,272, the handles fold open with a complex motion in the plane of the pliers movement. In the combination tool sold by Gerber and described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,142,721 and 5,142,844, the pliers head is slidably deployed from the handles. In the Paratool combination tool sold by SOG Specialty Knives and described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,267,366 and to some extent in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,062,173, the handles fold in the same direction out of the plane of the pliers movement.
The existing tools, while functional, have drawbacks. The Leatherman tool requires a complex opening and closing motion and requires the user to grasp exposed channel edges of the handles when operating the pliers. The Gerber tool does not permit the handles to be opened to lie in a straight line, so that the use of the blade tools folded open from the handles is awkward in some instances and there is a risk of pinching the hand when the pliers are used. In the SOG Paratool, the pliers head is not easily moved between the nested and deployed positions, requiring a tab attachment to aid in the deployment. The SOG Paratool also produces an asymmetric clamping force when pressure is applied to the pliers head through the handles. In all cases, deployment of the pliers head can be difficult in some situations, such as when the user is wearing gloves.
There is a need for a combination tool that overcomes these and other problems, yet has the same advantages of other combination tools. The present invention fulfills this need, and further has related advantages.
The present invention provides a combination tool having a deployable jaw mechanism and folding handles with blade tools received in the handles. The combination tool is compact when the handles are nested, and fully functional when the handles are deployed. The handles are readily deployed or nested, even when the user is wearing gloves. When the handles are deployed and the combination tool is used as a pliers, the user grasps the folded side of the channel-shaped handle and can apply large clamping forces in a symmetric manner through the centerline of the combination tool and without discomfort. Any of the types of blade tools folded into the handles that are found on other types of combination tools, or other types of tools, can be used with the present approach. The combination tool has an xe2x80x9cSxe2x80x9d handle configuration that provides a large, comfortable gripping handle when the blade tools are to be used.
In accordance with the invention, a combination tool comprises a tool head including a jaw mechanism having two jaws lying in a tool head plane. A first handle is pivotably attached to the jaw mechanism and rotatable in a first direction about a first pivot axle lying in the tool head plane between a nested position wherein the first handle lies coplanar with and adjacent to the jaw mechanism and a deployed position wherein the first handle is coplanar with and remote from the jaw mechanism. A second handle is pivotably attached to the jaw mechanism and rotatable in a second direction (opposite to the first direction) about a second pivot axle lying in the tool head plane between a nested position wherein the second handle lies coplanar with and adjacent to the jaw mechanism and a deployed position wherein the second handle is coplanar with and remote from the jaw mechanism. The combination tool has a set of blade tools including a first blade pivotably received in the first handle, and a second blade pivotably received in the second handle. (As used herein in reference to blade tools received into the handles of the combination tool, a xe2x80x9cbladexe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cblade toolxe2x80x9d refers to any relatively thin tool that is folded into the handle and received between the sides of the handle. Such a blade includes, but is not limited to, a sharpened knife blade, a screwdriver, a file, a small saw, an awl, a bottle opener, etc.)
In another embodiment, a combination tool comprises a tool head including a jaw mechanism having two jaws lying in a tool head plane, a first attachment lug extending from the jaw mechanism, and a second attachment lug extending from the jaw mechanism. A first handle mechanism includes a first handle pivotably attached to the first attachment lug of the tool head, and a first pivot axle lying in the tool head plane. The first handle is engaged to and rotatable about the first pivot axle in a first direction relative to the tool head plane between a nested position wherein the first handle is coplanar with the two jaws and adjacent to the two jaws and a deployed position wherein the first handle is coplanar with the two jaws and remote from the two jaws. A second handle mechanism includes a second handle pivotably attached to the second attachment lug of the tool head, and a second pivot axle lying in the tool head plane. The second handle is engaged to and rotatable about the second pivot axle in a second direction relative to the tool head plane between a nested position wherein the second handle is coplanar with the two jaws and adjacent to the two jaws and a deployed position wherein the second handle is coplanar with the two jaws and remote from the two jaws. The second direction is opposite to the first direction. There is a set of blade tools including a first blade pivotably received in the first handle and movable between a closed position wherein the first blade lies within the first handle and an open position wherein the first blade extends outside of the first handle, and a second blade pivotably received in the second handle and movable between a closed position wherein the second blade lies within the second handle and an open position wherein the second blade extends outside of the second handle. The first handle and the second handle are cooperatively shaped with the jaw mechanism such that the jaw mechanism is nested between and coplanar with the first handle and the second handle when the first handle and the second handle are in their nested positions and the first blade and the second blade are in their closed positions.
The first and second pivot axles may be angularly offset from each other, as by from about xc2xd to about 4 degrees. The first and second pivot axles may instead be collinear. In this latter form of the invention, the handles open with a lateral spacing that is constant or that increases as the handles move from the nested position to the deployed position (or conversely, a lateral spacing that decreases as the handles move from the deployed position to the nested position). The handles are conveniently moved laterally using a cam mechanism in either the pivot pin or the attachment leg and handle, or other type of lateral movement mechanism. Various detent structures for holding the handles in the open or closed positions can also be provided.
The present invention provides a combination tool that is more conveniently operated than existing types of combination tools. The handles are moved between the fully open and fully closed positions with an easily accomplished, straightforward circular motion that involves fewer, more natural movements than required for available combination tools. At intermediate positions of the handles, with one handle open and the other partially or completely closed, the blade tools in the handles are readily accessed and used. Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following more detailed description of the preferred embodiment, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.